Managing Whiplash

Whiplash
is a common injury that is often ignored or improperly treated due to a
lack of understanding of the condition. Common whiplash symptoms
include (but are not limited to) neck pain/stiffness, headache, shoulder
pain and stiffness, dizziness, fatigue, jaw pain (TMJ symptoms), arm
pain, numbness and/or weakness, visual disturbances, ringing in the ears
(tinnitis), and back pain. In more severe cases, symptoms may include
depression, anxiety, anger, frustration, stress, drug dependency,
post-traumatic stress, sleep disturbance, sick leave, and lost
productivity. Traumatic brain injury symptoms can include difficulty
formulating thought, losing one’s place in conversation, fatigue, and
“mental fog.” If litigation is involved, it can complicate the situation
as well. While most people involved in car crashes recover quickly,
some continue to experience symptoms that can last for years after the
incident, and chronic pain can have devastating effects on an individual
and his/her family.

A whiplash injury occurs as a result of a
“crack the whip” mechanism that occurs very fast and before the muscles
have time to react (within 300 milliseconds, which is too fast to
voluntarily contract our muscles). About half-way through this process,
the lower cervical spine extends while the upper half flexes resulting
in significant pressure on the joint capsules in the lower half and the
disks in the upper half of the neck. In 2014, an interesting study found
that there might a way to “trick” the neck muscles so they relax prior
to the crash, thus reducing the amount of pressure exerted on the neck
structures and potentially reduce the amount of tissue injury. A
rear-end collision typically results in neck muscle contractions from a
combination of postural and startle responses. Using surface EMG
(electromyography) to measures muscle activity, researchers found that
the superficial muscle tightness of the neck could be attenuated
(decreased) by a loud tone (105dB) 250 milliseconds BEFORE impact. Then,
they investigated whether the deep cervical spine stabilizing,
involuntary muscles (specifically the multifidus) would respond
similarly to a loud tone. (This is important because these muscles
attach directly to the small facet joints located in the back of the
spine and have the potential to increase the strain in the joint
capsules during a crash and contribute to the whiplash injury.) The
researchers subjected twelve study participants to simulated whiplash
situations both with and without a loud tone. Their results suggest that
a loud pre-impact tone may reduce the strain in the cervical spine
facet joint capsules, which in turn may reduce the amount of tissue
injury during a rear-end collision. These findings are exciting as the
degree of injury may be reduced from using this tone prior to an impact.

Early
range-of-motion types of care and exercises appear to result in better
outcomes than the use of a cervical collar and rest. Similarly, manual
therapies including early manipulation, mobilization, traction, and soft
tissue therapies have also been demonstrated to produce better outcomes
for whiplash patients. Chiropractic offers these treatment approaches
to whiplash patients more frequently when compared with other healthcare
professions. Doctors of chiropractic also include patient education and
advice on posture, proper bending, lifting, pulling and pushing
methods, the use of ice over heat (especially initially), and many
self-care, home-based treatment approaches. Exercises often include
range-of-motion/stretching, cervical curve retraining, strengthening,
stabilization exercises, and balance exercises. If dizziness is present,
your chiropractor can show you special exercises to help manage it.

Members of ChiroTrust® have taken “The ChiroTrust Pledge”: “To the best of my ability, I agree to provide my patients convenient, affordable, and mainstream Chiropractic care. I will not use unnecessary long-term treatment plans and/or therapies.”

Search

Conditions

Archives

This information should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a health care professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.